Quick change sweep retainer

ABSTRACT

A novel solution for changing sweeps or knives on a cultivator or other soil working tool is the subject matter of the present invention. In today&#39;s farming world, where labor is at a premium and time is of the essence, a sole operator or farmer in preparing the fields for planting, summer fallow or other operations will sometimes need to change the sweeps or knives which till the ground several times for different crops or operations. The novel invention herein provides for an apparatus for quickly removing the sweeps ( 2 ) on cultivator shanks and replacing them with other soil openers of different width or configuration. A simple press button ( 7 ) releases the sweep ( 2 ) from an adapter bolted to a standard cultivator shank. The present invention eliminates the problem of sweeps falling off shanks due to lack of friction or difficulty in removing sweeps because of over friction.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to soil working tools for agriculture. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method ofremoving and replacing soil openers on the shanks of an agriculturalsoil working implement such as a cultivator, an air drill or a chiselplow.

BACKGROUND

In today's farms a standard implement to disturb the soil forcultivating is a framed cultivator implement generally supported bywheels and pulled by a substantial power source such as a four wheeldrive tractor. A standard cultivator generally is equipped with asubstantially horizontal frame which a number of cross memberspositioned transverse to the direction of travel. Located on thecross-members are a plurality of standard curved steel shanks whichextend downwardly. The shanks are generally equipped with a pair ofapertures so that the soil working tools can be bolted onto such shanks.

Soil working tools can be openers, knives or sweeps depending upon theoperation. The soil working tools generally have a shorter life than thecultivator due to the constant contact with rocks and other obstacles inthe field. Thus, these must be changed from time to time. In addition,new types of farming require different sizes of furrows or trenches cutin the ground by such earth working tools. For example in zero tillageoperations only a narrow furrow need be cut into the stubble and seedplaced therein. In other cases a wider trench may be necessary or incases of summer fallow or reseeding, for instance a hay field, theentire ground must be turned over in preparation for crop planting.

Typically when a farmer replaces the soil openers or changes soilopeners to a different type, it is necessary to unbolt each one of thesoil openers, such bolts often becoming rusty and extremely hard toremove. This is a very time consuming operation and can take as long asa couple of days depending upon the number of soil working tools whichhave to be removed and then replaced by removing nuts and bolts.

More recently, a type of adapter is bolted to the shank of thecultivator and the soil working tool having a shank of configurationsimilar to the adapter is hammered on by friction and hammered off byfriction due to the tapered nature of the mating surfaces. Thissolution, although much improved from the former method still hasseveral drawbacks. For example, soil working tools could slide of theadapter in the fields. In other cases, the amount of force required toremove such soil working tool is immense and problems are encounteredtrying to remove the soil working tools without damaging the shanks oradapters.

Thus, a need still exists for an easy method of removing and replacingsoil working tools on the shanks of cultivators and ensuring that theyare locked in place.

PRIOR ART

The concept of removing and replacing earth working tools from machineryis not new. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,418, a trenching machinehad a large rotating wheel coupled to the bucket. The bucket is coupledto tapered nose pieces and digging points are placed on the nose pieces.The configuration of a machine, however, is not compatible withagriculture seeding and planting. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,418, a blockingmember is encased in a flexible ceiling member.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,752, teeth are located on the buckets of wheels.Next to the bucket, is a pocket member within which the tooth fits.There is also a coiled spring in a slot which by friction, has a meansfor resiliently biasing the upper face of the tooth shank (3) into tightfrictional engagement with the top face (6b) of slot (6). A pin must beremoved prior to removal of the spring and tooth.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,021 a “Cultivator” tool support or holder has asocket in which the shank or the tang of the cultivator shovel isinserted and automatically releasably locked in the operating position.The patent uses a leaf spring with a recess on top of the shank.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,488, the patent discloses an elongated dependingcultivator shank having a sweep which includes an elongate tongue. Acultivator shank includes a pair of depending elongated side walls. Thepatent uses a pivoted latch member, pivot pins, locking doves andexpansion springs.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,340 the cultivator shank is equipped with pinsand locking arms. The locking arms have lips or slots. There is aplurality of key hole openings and a plurality of locking arms pivotallyconnected.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,484 describes a soil cultivator with a plow or sweepbeing held to the shank by a movable snap action lock. The shank of thesweep is a pair of C-shaped sections having open sides which face oneanother. The sweep fits directly on the working end of the shank of thecultivator. A sheet metal clip is used. All forces are transmitteddirectly from the shank of the cultivator abutment end to a blade stop52.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Inventors of the present invention have made an improvement over theprior art devices which has proved to be simple to manufacture and veryadaptable. By using an adapter for the quick release device, a standardcultivator can either be used with the adapter and quick releasemechanism of the present invention or can be returned to normal usehaving tools bolted thereon. Thus the present invention, through the useof the unique adapter can be used on any cultivator currently in themarket place.

The adapter of the present invention is somewhat T-shaped having a headand a lower shank. It has two large apertures which permit it to bebolted permanently to the shank of a cultivator. From an end view, theadapter has a flat top and a flat bottom, in cross section. It has apair of downwardly tapered sides which meet upwardly tapered sides.

The adapter has a type of T-shaped head, such that when the C-shapedhollow shaft of the soil working tool, having a similar configuration tothe cross section of the adapter is moved upwardly and onto the adapter,the extending flanges of the head prevent the shank of the soil workingtool from moving any further outwardly. In the middle of the adapter isa detent adapter aperture into which is placed a filler plug. Aresilient ball keeps upward pressure on the detent which is housedwithin the filler plug.

In a different embodiment the adapter is equipped with a longitudinalslot on its topside which extends from the top of the head of theadapter to the upper bolt aperture. This is a provision for a removaltool slot engagement point. The removal tool in this embodimentfacilitates the depression of the detent and consequent removal of theshank of the sweep or soil working tool.

The sweep, knife, or soil working tool, is equipped with a type ofU-shaped upper shank, having an open bottom side and an aperture throughthe mid section of the shank. The inner sides of the U-shaped shank isof the same configuration as the outer sides of the adapter shank andthus can move easily upwardly without a great deal of friction. Theaperture in the shank is adapted to receive the detent in the lockedposition.

Therefore, this invention seeks to provide a quick change soil workingassembly adapted for use with an agricultural soil working implement;said assembly comprising an adapter and a soil working tool; saidadapter being configured to be fixedly attached in operation to amounting shank on said implement; said adapter including a shank and ahead; said adapter shank having a cross-section adapted to matinglyengage said soil working tool; said adapter shank including a pair of abolt apertures, a detent aperture, and a resiliently biased detentassembly; said detent assembly including a resilient means, a detentaperture filler plug, and a detent; said soil working tool, including asoil working portion and an elongate holder; said holder including apair of side flanges with an inner cross section adapted in operation tomatingly engage said adapter shank; said holder further including adetent receiving aperture; whereby, in operation, when said holder ismoved longitudinally onto a mounted position on said adapter shank, saiddetent means registers with said aperture whereupon said resilient meansmoves said detent into said detent receiving aperture to lock said soilworking tool in place; and when said detent is pressed downwardly saidholder may be moved longitudinally of said adapter shaft to detach saidsoil working tool.

The invention further seeks to provide a quick change soil workingassembly wherein an adapter includes a longitudinal recess on the topside thereof, said recess being adapted to receive a curved end of aremoval tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in greater detail in conjunction withthe following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the major components of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the components of the present invention in aworking position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the various components of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the components of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5A is a side view of a removal tool;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the adapter ofthe present inventions; and

FIG. 5C is a side view of an alternative removal tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a cut away portion of the working end of a shank 1 of atypical cultivator. Shank 1 is typically bolted at its upper end (notseen) to a cultivator cross member. A sweep or soil opener is showngenerally as (2) (see FIG. 2). It has a pair of knife blades extendingoutwardly and marked as (3). The soil opener (2) is integral with thesoil opener holder (4).

As seen in FIG. 1, the holder (4) is hollow and has an innerconfiguration which could be best described as irregular. It has an openunderside. The holder (4) also has an aperture (5). Also in FIG. 1, theview of the adapter is shown having a shank (6) and a T-shaped head (8).The shank (6) and the head (8) form a somewhat T-shaped structuredadapter. The adapter has a pair of apertures (9) located on each side ofthe detent (7). As is evident in FIGS. 1 and 3, the shank (6) tapers insize away from the T-shaped head (8), and the holder (4) has a matchingtaper.

In FIG. 2, the soil opener or knife (2) is mounted on the adapter shank(6). One notes the shoulders of the head (8) of the adapter abut againstthe upper part of the holder (4) of the soil opener (2), and in thisposition the taper surface of the adapter shank (6) lays in intimatecontact with the matching tapered surface of the interior of the holder(4). The shank (1) of the cultivator has been bolted to the adaptershank (6) by means of bolts (11) and nuts (10).

In FIG. 3 the basic components of the spring loaded detent (7) areshown. Aperture (12) is located between the bolt apertures (9). A fillerplug (13) is pressed upwardly into aperture (12). The detent (7) isplaced in filler plug (13) and an elastic ball (14) or other resilientmeans is placed in filler plug (13). When the adapter shank (6) isbolted onto a cultivator shank ball (14) is secured in place.

The securement of the resilient ball (14) under the detent (7) withinfiller plug (13) is evident in FIG. 4. One also notes how the bolts (11)are recessed within the adapter and only the detent (7) extends upwardlyinto aperture (5) of soil opener (2).

FIGS. 5A and 5C show side views of the removal tool (20) useful fordetatching the soil opener (2) from the adapter shank (6). Tool (20) hasan elongate handle (15), a detent press protrusion (16) and anengagement end (17). In use, the removal tool (20) is oriented such thatthe engagement end (17) abuts the end (21) (FIG. 4) of the holder (4),with the press protrusion (16) extending above the detent (7) and thetool (20) being oriented longitudinally of the holder (4), as viewed inFIG. 4 with the handle (15) extending upwardly to the left. The spacingbetween the protrusion (16) and the engagement end (17) corresponds tothe spacing between the end surface (21) and the detent (17) when thesoil opener is mounted as seen in FIG. 4. Accordingly by pivoting thetool (20) about its engagement (17) the detent (7) is depressed by theprotrusion (16) below the edges of the aperture (5) as seen in FIG. 4 sothat the holder (14) is unblocked and can be moved (to the left as seenin FIG. 4) out of engagement of with the adapter shank (6). It will beunderstood that in the event of the holder (4) binding on the adaptershank (6), the disengagement movement can be assisted by impacting theengagement end (17), or if a stronger force is required, by one or morehammer blows applied to the curved portion of the tool (20) adjacent theend (17). It will be appreciated that because of the taperedconfiguration of the shank (6) and the holder (4), a very slightlongitudinal relative movement will be sufficient to completely freethese parts from engagement.

The removal tool is particulary effective when used with the secondembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5B. There, the adapter shank(6) and head (8) are equipped with a slot (18) on the top face thereofwhich extends from the top of head (8) to the top of the adjacent boltaperture (9). This slot (18) has a width sized to receive the engagementend (17) of the tool (20), guide it into engagement with the end (21) ofthe holder (4), and reduce the possibility of the end (17) accidentallydisengaging during manipulation of the tool (20) in detaching the soilopener from its mounting.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to thespecific embodiments shown, but is more specifically set out in thesubsequent claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A quick change soilworking assembly adapted for use with an agricultural soil workingimplement; said assembly comprising an adapter and a soil working tool;said adapter being configured to be fixedly attached in operation to amounting shank on said implement; said adapter including a shank and ahead; said adapter shank having a cross-section adapted to matinglyengage said soil working tool; said adapter shank including a pair of abolt apertures, a detent aperture, and a resiliently biased detentassembly; said detent assembly including a resilient means, a detentaperture filler plug, and a detent; said soil working tool, including asoil working portion and an elongate holder; said holder including apair of side flanges with an inner cross section adapted in operation tomatingly engage said adapter shank; said holder further including adetent receiving aperture; whereby, in operation, when said holder ismoved longitudinally onto a mounted position on said adapter shank, saiddetent means registers with said aperture whereupon said resilient meansmoves said detent into said detent receiving aperture to lock said soilworking tool in place; and when said detent is pressed downwardly saidholder may be moved longitudinally of said adapter shaft to detach saidsoil working tool.
 2. A quick change soil working assembly as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said resilient means is a resilient ball.
 3. A quickchange soil working assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said adaptershank has a profile that tapers away from said head, said elongateholder having a longitudinal taper that matches the taper of saidadapter shank; said adapter head having at least one lateral projectionthat is positioned to engage an abutment surface on said holder when theholder lays in said mounted position.
 4. A quick change soil workingassembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adapter shank is six sided;said shank having a flat bottom side, a flat top side, two downwardlyand outwardly tapered upper sides and two upwardly and outwardly taperedlower sides.
 5. A quick change soil working assembly as claimed in claim4 wherein said two side flanges of said holder of said soil working toolhave a common inner top wall and each of said flanges has an upperdownwardly and outwardly tapered inner side wall and a lower downwardlyand inwardly tapered inner side wall; said inner walls being adapted tomatingly engage said two upper tapered side walls and said two lowertapered side walls of said adapter shank.
 6. A quick change soil workingassembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said adapter shank has a profilethat tapers away from said head, said elongate holder having alongitudinal taper that matches the taper of said adapter shank; saidadapter head having at least one lateral projection that is positionedto engage an abutment surface on said holder when the holder lays insaid mounted position.
 7. A quick change soil working assembly asclaimed in claim 4 wherein said adapter shank has a profile that tapersaway from said head, said elongate holder having a longitudinal taperthat matches the taper of said adapter shank; said adapter head havingat least one lateral projection that is positioned to engage an abutmentsurface on said holder when the holder lays in said mounted position. 8.A quick change soil working assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidadapter further includes a longitudinal recess on the top side thereof;said recess extending from an upper bolt aperture in said adapter shankto a free end of said adapter head.
 9. A quick change soil workingassembly as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a soil working toolremoval instrument; said instrument including an elongate shank handle,a detent press protrusion, and a slot engagement curved end; said slotengagement curved end, in operation, being adapted to fit into saidlongitudinal recess in said adapter and said detent press protrusionbeing adapted to press downwardly on said detent, thereby releasing saidsoil working tool from said adapter.
 10. A quick change soil workingassembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said adapter shank has a profilethat tapers away from said head, said elongate holder having alongitudinal taper that matches the taper of said adapter shank; saidadapter head having at least one lateral projection that is positionedto engage an abutment surface on said holder when the holder lays insaid mounted position.
 11. A quick change soil working assembly asclaimed in claim 8 wherein said adapter shank has a profile that tapersaway from said head, said elongate holder having a longitudinal taperthat matches the taper of said adapter shank; said adapter head havingat least one lateral projection that is positioned to engage an abutmentsurface on said holder when the holder lays in said mounted position.12. A quick change soil working assembly as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid head of said adapter includes a pair of lateral projections; saidprojections in operation being adapted to act as a limiting stop whensaid holder is moved upwardly on said adapter shank.
 13. A quick changesoil working assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adapter shankhas a profile that tapers away from said head, said elongate holderhaving a longitudinal taper that matches the taper of said adaptershank; said adapter head having at least one lateral projection that ispositioned to engage an abutment surface on said holder when the holderlays in said mounted position.